Early development of gaze following into distant space in juvenile Greylag geese ( Anser anser )

Visual co-orientation with another's gaze direction (gaze following) may provide important information about the location of food, social interactions or predators. Gaze following has been shown in a variety of mammals, but only in few bird species, and has not been tested in precocial birds at all. It has been suggested that gaze following is an anti-predator behaviour, and in Common ravens (Corvus corax) and rooks (C. frugilegus), it emerges shortly after fledging, at a time when young birds leave the predator-safe nest. However, if gaze following is adaptive, the developmental pattern should differ between altricial and precocial birds. Greylag geese (Anser anser) are highly social birds with a precocial development. Goslings move and feed independently within 24h post-hatching, and they are highly vulnerable to aerial predators. We therefore predicted that greylag geese are capable of gaze following and that they develop this skill already pre-fledging. We experimentally tested 19 hand-raised greylag goslings for their ability to follow a conspecific's gaze when they were between 10days and 6weeks old. In line with our predictions, first responses were already detectable in 10-day-old goslings. Our results therefore not only demonstrate that greylag geese follow the gaze of conspecifics into distant space, but that they also develop this ability much earlier than altricial bird

A spatially explicit method for determining the effects of watershed scale land use on stream conditions

The primary goal of this research was to identify the impacts that individual agricultural land uses have on fish communities in small streams located in the Willamette Valley of western Oregon. The diverse nature of the land use features of the valley provided a challenging but useful system for the differentiation of the impacts of various land uses. This manuscript first presents the methods used to select the watersheds for sampling. Selecting basins that allowed for the detection of various land use impacts while capturing conditions that were representative of valley-wide land use characteristics required an innovative sampling design. Histograms representing the land use characteristics of the small watersheds in the Willamette Valley were used for this purpose. The second manuscript in this document outlines the development and implementation of a spatially explicit method that allows for the isolation and quantification of the impacts of specific land uses. Developing a series of raster files (grids) using a Geographical Information System (GIS) allowed for the determination of the flow path lengths of each pixel (cell) in a watershed. The inverse values of the flow path lengths were used as measures of the potential impact that each cell in a watershed had on stream conditions. Sums of these potential impacts were calculated for each land use in a watershed and used as independent variables in modeling efforts. The selection techniques used to identify the sampled watersheds with those of the inversely weighted flow path method enabled the identification of the land use practices that have the greatest impact on stream fish assemblages. A model using the inverse values of the squared in-stream and out-of-stream flow path lengths was the most useful for describing the impacts of basin-scale land use on stream fish populations

Social orientation of banks

The influence of the bank's orientation on clients and the quality of the services provided on the financial efficiency of the commercial institution (sales volume, profitability, cost reduction) was studied. The development of online banking and Internet banking is considered. The relationship between the profitability of the bank and the level of customercentricity is proved. World experience has been compared and generalized, and country specificity has been singled out in different regions of the world. The dependence between the degree of customer satisfaction and their subsequent loyalty to the bank was studied. Prospective directions of expansion of the market of banking services are outlined, and also changes in the psychology of the client that took place due to scientific and technological progress are noted. The basic directions of increase of efficiency of work of the bank personnel are allocated

Effects of pre-procedural remote ischaemic pre-conditioning on the outcomes of elective percutaneous coronary intervention. A systematic review and meta-analysis

AbstractObjectivesTrials of remote ischemic pre-conditioning (RIPC) have suggested this intervention reduces complications of percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary by-pass surgery. The aims of this work were to (i) conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of RIPC on cardiac and renal damage in patients undertaking elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI); (ii) summarize the results in an evidence-based clinical context.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search of published randomized controlled trials of RIPC for elective PCI up until May 1st, 2015. Studies of peri- or post-ischemic conditioning or emergency PCI were excluded.ResultsNine studies, totalling 1253 patients were included. Compared to control, RIPC groups exhibited reduced peri-procedural myocardial infarction (MI) Odds Ratio (OR) 0.72 (95% CI 0.54 to 0.97, p=0.03); ST-segment deviation OR 0.42 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.63, p<0.0001); major adverse cardiac events (MACE) OR 0.41 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.84, p=0.01); and acute kidney injury (AKI) OR 0.47 (95% CI 0.26 to 0.86, p=0.01), but not mortality OR 1.00 (95% CI 0.27 to 3.73, p=1.00).ConclusionsRIPC is likely to prevent major adverse cardiac and renal events in patients undertaking elective PCI

African penguins follow the gaze direction of conspecifics

This work was supported by a British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant to C.N. and L.F. (SG160975) and by a fellowship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (NA 1233/1-1) to C.N. and L.F. was also supported by the University of Torino through a System S.p.A. research grant for bioacoustics. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Greater sage-grouse apparent nest productivity and chick survival in Carbon County, Wyoming

Greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus populations across North America have been declining due to degradation and fragmentation of sagebrush habitat. As part of a study quantifying greater sage-grouse demographics prior to construction of a wind energy facility, we estimated apparent net nest productivity and survival rate of chicks associated with radio-equipped female sage-grouse in Carbon County, Wyoming, USA. We estimated apparent net nest productiv-ity using a weighted mean of the average brood size and used a modified logistic-exposure method to estimate daily chick survival over a 70-day time period. Apparent nest productivity was 2.79 chicks per female (95% CI: 1.46–4.12) in 2011, 2.00 chicks per female (95% CI: 1.00–3.00) in 2012, and 1.54 chick per female (95% CI: 0.62–2.46) in 2013. Chick survival to 70 days post-hatch was 19.10% (95% CI: 6.22–37.42%) in 2011, 4.20% (95% CI: 0.84–12.31%) in 2012, and 16.05% (95% CI: 7.67–27.22%) in 2013. These estimates were low, yet within the range of other published survival rates. Chick survival was primarily associated with year and chick age, with minor effects of average temperature between surveys and hatch date. The variability in chick survival rates across years of our study suggests annual weather patterns may have large impacts on chick survival. Thus, management actions that increase the availability of food and cover for chicks may be necessary, especially during years with drought and above-average spring temperatures

Promoción de la huerta orgánica y de alimentación saludable en niños de la EEP Nº7 de Puerto Tirol, Chaco

El modelo educativo que tienen actualmente los niños de nuestra región nordeste no desarrolla su capacidad para elegir alimentos saludables, así van adquiriendo hábitos de alimentación no saludables que mantendrán durante toda su vida, a menos que se realice una intervención integral efectiva. La Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO) considera que los huertos escolares pueden ayudar a mejorar la nutrición y la educación de los niños y familiares, tanto en zonas rurales como urbanas, por lo que alienta a las Escuelas a crear huertos de aprendizaje que puedan ser manejados por los mismos escolares, profesores y padres, que incluyan una variedad de hortalizas y frutas. Se trabajó en una Escuela Primaria de la localidad de Puerto Tirol, Chaco, a la que asisten 575 alumnos con edades de 6 a 14 años, distribuidos en turnos mañana y tarde. Los Objetivos fueron: a) Detectar niños con alteraciones nutricionales y/o hábitos de alimentación saludables, b) Promover hábitos saludables de alimentación, y c) Promover prácticas agroecológicas al reinstalar la huerta orgánica escolar. Materiales y métodos: Se evaluó el estado nutricional y hábitos alimentarios de los alumnos a través de encuestas alimentarias, datos antropométricos y de laboratorio. Se usó la huerta como aula práctica para aprender sobre agroecología, nutrición, disfrute y esparcimiento.Se realizó asistencia técnica, acompañamiento y provisión de insumos para la producción de la huerta. Se realizaron talleres informativos con tutores y docentes, y actividades lúdicas con alumnos de ambos turnos. Resultados: Se encuestó a 258 niños (45% del total): al 99% le gustaban las frutas y al 88% las verduras, pero consumían con frecuencia un 53% frutas y un 59% verduras en sus hogares. Compraban en el kiosco escolar alimentos ricos en azúcar, sal y grasas trans. Los niños expresaron su interés en disponer de frutas y licuados en el kiosco. Respecto a los datos antropométricos sobre 150 niños, un 20 % presentaba bajo peso para su talla y un 10 % sobrepeso.Sobre los análisis de laboratorio realizados a 39 alumnos: un 15% presentaba anemia, un7,7% creatininemias bajas y ninguno elevada. La albúmina resultó normal en todos. Se reinstaló la huerta escolar con participación de alumnos de 5° a 7° grado. Las hortalizascosechadas fueron consumidas por la Escuela y por los alumnos en sus hogares.

Treating Cancer as an Infectious Disease—Viral Antigens as Novel Targets for Treatment and Potential Prevention of Tumors of Viral Etiology

Nearly 20% of human cancers worldwide have an infectious etiology with the most prominent examples being hepatitis B and C virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma and human papilloma virus-associated cervical cancer. There is an urgent need to find new approaches to treatment and prevention of virus-associated cancers.Viral antigens have not been previously considered as targets for treatment or prevention of virus-associated cancers. We hypothesized that it was possible to treat experimental HPV16-associated cervical cancer (CC) and Hepatitis B-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by targeting viral antigens expressed on cancer cells with radiolabeled antibodies to viral antigens. Treatment of experimental CC and HCC tumors with (188)Re-labeled mAbs to E6 and HBx viral proteins, respectively, resulted in significant and dose-dependent retardation of tumor growth in comparison with untreated mice or mice treated with unlabeled antibodies.This strategy is fundamentally different from the prior uses of radioimmunotherapy in oncology, which targeted tumor-associated human antigens and promises increased specificity and minimal toxicity of treatment. It also raises an exciting possibility to prevent virus-associated cancers in chronically infected patients by eliminating cells infected with oncogenic viruses before they transform into cancer

Nitrite in Organ Protection

In the last decade, the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide (NO) pathway has emerged to therapeutical importance. Modulation of endogenous nitrate and nitrite levels with the subsequent S-nitros(yl)ation of the downstream signalling cascade open the way for novel cytoprotective strategies. In the following we summarize the actual literature and give a short overview on the potential of nitrite in organ protection